Grounded in the Present

Excerpt: Grounded in the Present - Trauma Session 6

Course: Moving Through Trauma

Speakers: Matthias Barker

Finding Your Anchor: Grounding Techniques When Thoughts Overwhelm

When you’re caught in a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions that feel beyond your control, it can be incredibly difficult to find a sense of calm. It’s like the noise in your mind is a constant audio track you can’t turn off. In these moments, instead of trying to wrestle with those thoughts directly, let’s try a different approach: anchoring ourselves in the present.

Shifting Your Focus

Imagine your thoughts are like AirPods you can temporarily set down. The audio might still be playing in the background, but you’re consciously choosing to pivot your attention away from that mental noise and onto this very moment, right here, right now.

Take a breath. Remember, those thoughts don’t need to disappear for you to be present.

Take another breath.

Your Anchor in the Storm: Engaging Your Senses

Sometimes, when thoughts feel like a raging storm, even focusing on your breath can feel overwhelming, like it’s intensifying the feeling. In these instances, imagine throwing an anchor overboard, one that sinks to the ocean floor and holds you steady as the storm passes.

This anchor can be something in your immediate environment. Take a moment to look around, away from the screen. Notice something specific:

Texture: The feel of your shirt on your skin.

Color: The shade of the wall or an object.

Shape: The outline of a door knob or a picture frame.

Choose one of these things to be your anchor. Let your mind fully focus on it. Consider:

Color: What shade is it? Is it vibrant or muted?

Shape: What is its form? Is it smooth or jagged?

Texture: What would it feel like if you touched it? Rough, smooth, bumpy?

Temperature: Would it feel warm or cool?

(Optional, a little goofy): Imagine what it might taste like.

Engage all your senses with this object in the room. Hold onto this anchor as the thoughts continue to roll in like waves in your mind. Keep bringing your attention back to this present moment, to your chosen anchor. You don’t need the waves to subside to be here with me right now. We’re simply shifting our focus. We’re not trying to silence the noise; we’re just being present.

Gentle Breathing with Your Anchor

When it feels comfortable, let’s take another breath together. This time, we’ll hold for three seconds at the top of the inhale:

Breathe in… Hold (3 seconds)… Breathe out.

You can feel okay, even amidst the storm of your thoughts. Simply bring your attention back to this moment, to your anchor, and take another breath.

If you like the content, you can continue in a few different ways…

1. See the outline below and check out other sections from the Moving Through Trauma course.

2. Take the full small group course to your church community! The first course your church runs is free! Reach out to us here to learn how.

3. Connect with a Share The Struggle Coach for one-on-one support. Let’s face it, some of us have tried kicking this thing, and we’ve had no luck. It’s time to start looking toward forms of support that can help us see and feel the beautiful life God has in store for us.

Session 1

Welcome to the Moving Through Trauma Course

Video: Welcome

Video: Guardrails & Grace for the Journey

Video: For Those of You Who

Topics: Hypoarousal; Hyperarousal; Grace

Session 2

Video: Grounding Exercise - From a Place of Calm

Video: Unpacking Trauma

Video: Our Trauma Threshold

Topics: Embedded Trauma/Traumatic Event; Traumatic Threshold

Session 3

Video: Grounding Exercise - Breath and Bilateral Stimulation

Video: How Trauma Functions in our Emotions, Brain, and Body

Video: Our Three Primary Responses to Trauma

Topics: Neuroscience Terms; Fragmentation/Dissociation/Isolation

Session 4

Video: Grounding Exercise - Lowering Stress in the Nervous System

Video: How Family & Collective Systems Impact How We Experience Trauma

Video: Trauma’s Connection to our Health and Wellbeing

Topics: Attunement; Containment; Rupture & Repair; ACE Study (Third Video)

Session 5

Video: Grounding Exercise - Breathing in Hope

Video: How We Heal

Topics: Healing: Reconstruction; Release; Acceptance

Session 6

Video: Grounding Exercise - Grounded in the Present

Video: Relationship with God

Topics: Relationship with God; Prayer Practices

Session 7

Video: Relationship with Self

Topics: Cold Water Treatment; Developing Story Awareness

Session 8

Video: Grounding Exercise - From a Place of Calm

Video: Relationship with Others

Video: Redeeming Trauma

Topics: Building Support; Listening Triad

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